Ballard Park to get facelift this summer

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published 8:00 pm, Sunday, April 24, 2005

Left to the town by Elizabeth Ballard in 1964, the park has become the site of summer concerts, garden club activities, Revolutionary War re-enactments, and a spot for afternoon enjoyment by those working downtown.

But with that use comes wear and tear, which has left trees damaged, pathways crumbling and the southside entrance fence buckled and unsightly.

Some trees have already been replaced and by this summer work will begin on a new southside entrance with stone pillars and black vinyl-covered aluminum fencing designed to match the formal iron gateway at the main entrance of the park.

"There's a whole master plan with regard to both the use of the park and improving the design of the interior of the park," said Parks and Recreation Director Paul Roche.

New fences will be installed around the formal gardens, new benches and bushes will be placed throughout the park and work will be done on walkways, with some new paths into less used areas of the park being cut. The portable bathrooms will have fencing and plantings around them, and plans are being made to replace the temporary stage now used for concerts.

The work and fund-raising to pay for the facelift are being organized by The Friends of Ridgefield Parks and Recreation, composed of members of the town's garden clubs; Roche and the town's Design Committee; the Tree Committee; and Bob Snyder, assistant director of parks.

Fund-raising is in full swing with brochures mailed this week and civic groups and organizations being approached for donations. A Web site, www.ridgefieldct.org/ballardpark, will be up and running soon with renderings of the revamped park's appearance.

"It's a beautiful facility and we want to maintain and protect it," said Bob Blake, fund-raising chairman. "While the town does maintain the park now, with the additional wear-and-tear that it has seen in the last two decades, there is a need for additional maintenance at this time."

Overall, the project is anticipated to cost $318,000, which includes lighting improvements, a playground picnic area, and reconstruction of the new pedestrian entry at the south end of the park. The town has committed $43,000 in labor and capital and the Ridgefield Garden Club has pledged a donation of $20,000.

Eliza Wymess, chairman of the Friends of Ballard Park, looks forward to a safer side entrance being in place as well as a more attractive one.

"It's certainly an eye-sore to look at right now and that entrance is dangerous," Wymess said. "Ballard Park is such an important part of our town and beautifying it is important. We have beautiful gardens in the park that we want everyone to come to."

Ridgefield businesses are raising money to place six decorative park benches in the park similar to those placed throughout downtown four years ago.

"We're all excited about this," Roche said. "The park is a wonderful asset to have in the middle of town. Any day people are there having lunch and enjoying the park. The concert series is starting up in a couple of weeks and that has been very well received."

The plan to revamp the park is multi-phased and will be implemented over several years as money becomes available.